Eyeglasses.



w. B. GREENE.

EYEGLASSES,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-23. l9l5.

ggw gw Patented APT-"30,1918;

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WITNESSES." INVENTOR 1 I M h V y y mum B. PEEM I i irun smarts rarirnr orrioE.

' WILLAED B. GREENE, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, 0F SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A.

MASSACHUSETTS.

1'? all whom it may concern. 1 r

ile it known that I, WILLARD B. GREENE,

a citizen of the United States, residin at lioston, in the county of Suifolk and tate ofMassm-husetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eyeglasses, of

'rxhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to eyeglasses and has particular reference to holders or retainers used in connection therewith.

My invention is particularly, useful in so that when said nose gripping members slip or fail to perform their intended purpose my improved holder will prevent dropping and breaking of the eyeglasses.

The leading ob ect of my invention is the provision of an improved method of connecting a chain or like flexible retaining member to a lens which will permit of the ready attachment or removal thereof, and will do away with the use oflens clips and screws or other fixed or unsightly lens engaging devices.

Figure I is a perspective view of my construction attached to an eyeglass.

Fig. II is a sectional and end view illustrating detachable connections at the end of the chain, v

Fig. III is an enlarged view of a modification of my invention where it is not necessary to detach same from chain.

Fig. IV is another modification of my invention.

Fig. V isa further modification of my" invention.

Fig. VI is an enlarged sectional view on the 'line VI-VI of Fig, I.

Fig. VII is a sectional view illustrating another modification of my invention.

Fig. VIII is a sectional and end view of a further modification thereof.

Fig. IX illustrates the manner of applying one form of my holder to a lens.

My invention consists of an ear loop 1, or other suitable retaining means, connected by means of the loop 2 to one end of the chin 3, the chain passing through the aperture l of the lens'o, and having at its other end the button or ball, 6, which can be either fixedly or detachably connected therewith, this ball or button being made larger than the aperture in the tachably connect the parts.

-low the opening, 13, of thetube is made to VOLUNTARY assoo'mrronor EYEGLASSES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patentuadl Apr. 30, 1918. Application filed. September 23,1915. Serial No. 52,189 i The ear loop 1, having the ball tip 7, and

v the loop 2, made smaller than the diameter of the aperture 4 in the lens 5 can be easily inserted and then pulled through'said aperture,

The chain 3, is then pulled through also till the ball or button, 6, rests against the outside edge of the aperture l, as is clearly shown in Fig. VI.

This ball or-button acts as a retainer when the ear loop is attached to the wearers'ear and is the means of preventing accidental dropping and breakin of'the eyeglasses lens, it is merely necessary to reverse the abovedescribed procedure, that is, by first pulling onthe ball or button, 6, the chain will come out, then'the earhook I.

It has been found that ladies sometimes 'jair pms, etc., of various deprefer to signs attached to the end of chain, 3, in

. place ,of the ear loop,1,- and on account of -the size' and shape ofthese forms of con nections it is not always possible to 'pass them through as small an aperture as'will receive the ear hook type just described.

In order to provide for such cases, I'have made my improved buttons or balls, 6, de-

tachably connected to one end of the chain,-

3. The end of the chain has attached thereto a spring clip, or the like, which is passed through from the inner-side of the-aperture of the lens, then the spring clip is snapped into engagement with the button, which s placed on the outer sideof the lens.

Fig. II illustrates onedetachable button made-from a small tubular'piece ofmetal,

.8. A V shaped spring having the looped end, 9, attached to the chain, is pressed into the tube,.t he bent portion, 10, on the other end of said spr ng looking with the.

shoulder, 11, on the inside of said tube to de- A slot, 12, be-

provide enough space so thatwhen pressing upon the end, 14, and loop, 9, of the spring,

the same can be easily withdrawn or detached from the tubular piece 8. The slot also prevents rotation inside of the tube. The tube is spread and spun atthe other end to provide a retaimng head, 15.

Fig. VII is a slight modification in which the tube, 8, has theinterior groove, 16, into which a looped member 17, having its ends, 18, bent outwardly .at right angles, is pressed, said end, 18, snapping into the groove, 16, substantially as illustrated.

In Fig. VIII is illustrated a ball, 6, which may be provided with a neck, 19, having an oblong shaped aperture, 20. One end of this aperture is provided with lip, 21, with which, the shoulder, 22, of the looped spring member, 23, will engage when said spring is pressed into the aperture, 20.

In Figs. III, IV, and V, I have illustrated dili'erent shapes of buttons in which the ring, 24, may be soldered direct to the but ton, 6, or the neck, 19, between rings, 24, and button, 6, or may be integral therewith.

It Will further be understood that these and various other shapes may be employed with the detachable chain connection in place of the fixed ring if desired.

I claim:

1. An attaclnnent for ophthalmic mountings including an ear loop having an eye, and a flexible connecting member having one end secured to the eye and having secured on the opposite end a ball of enlargement of greater diameter than the eye whereby the device may be applied to a drilled lens by threading of the loop, eye and flexible conneetion through the aperture in the lens, and the ball will engage the face of the lens adjacent the aperture to connect the parts substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In an attachment for opthalmic n1ountings including a nose bridge supporting lenses at each end thereof, the combination withan ear loop having portions adapted to fit bot-h behind and in front of the ear to retain the loop in position onthe ear and one end ofsaid loop terminating in an eye, of a flexible connecting member having one end secured to the eye and having secured en the opposite end a ball or-enlargement greater diameter than the eye whereby .he device may be inserted by threading of he loop, eye and'flexible connection through ,n aperture in one of the lenscs vhereby the all will engage the face of the lens adjacent he aperture to connect the parts substanially as and for the purpose described.

' In testimony whereof I afiix my signature n the presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD B. GREENE.

Witnesses A. W. Cormn, NEIL 'DOHERTY. 

